Bag embodying one or more tie-strip portions, and sheet material providing the same



June 1, 1965 R. E. SHVETZ BAG EMBODYING ONE OR MORE TIE-STRIP PORTIONS, AND SHEET MATERIAL PROVIDING THE SAME Filed Nov. 26, 1963 llh Hlln.

FIG. I

3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ROMAN E. SHVETZ ATTORNEY R. E. SHVETZ June 1, 1965 BAG EMBODYING ONE OR MORE TIE-STRIP PORTIONS. AND SHEET MATERIAL PROVIDING THE SAME '5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26, 1963 INVENTOR. ROMAN E. SHVETZ flaw/M Ma,

ATTORNEY June 1, 1965 R. E. SHVETZ 3,186,626

BAGEMBODYING ONE OR MORE TIESTRIP PORTIONS, AND SHEET MATERIAL PROVIDING THE SAME Filed Nov. 26, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. ll FIG. l2

INVENTOR. ROMAN E. SHVETZ M/M mm ATTORNEY United States Patent Filed Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 326,277 7 Claims. (Cl. 229-62) This invention relates to bags of sheet material having an open top and more especially to picnic and sandwich bags and bags of like nature. The closing of the top after articles or material have been put into such a bag is often amatter of considerable difficulty, particularly if the bag is formed from plastic, and this is especially so when suitable tying material is not immediately available. Y

With the following and other considerations inview the present invention contemplates the provision of bags having tie-strip portions which are part of the sheet material of which the bag is formed and which are set off from the remainder of the sheet material in a particularly effective and desirable manner :which permits the transformation of a tie-strip portion into a tie strip after the contents of the bag have been put into the bag. In

certain of its more specific aspects, the invention further contemplates the provision of bag-forming material, such, for example, as flattened tubular material,-from'which such a bag or, preferably, a plurality of such bags may be formed. 7

The invention accordingly comprises articles possessing the features, properties, and. the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the articles hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fullerunderstanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to thefollowring detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which: I

FIGURE 1 is an elevation 10f one form-of bag embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view with the top spread somewhat;

FIG. 3 is a-similar view showing the tie strip portions after the separating action by which they become tie strips;

. FIG. 4 is a similar view showing one type of tying up a bag by the tie strips of FIG. 3;

. FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2' showing a modification;

FIG. 6 is a similar view showing a modification wherein a tie strip portion merges at both ends with the sheet material of which it and the bag are composed; v

FIG. 7 is a similar view showing the tie strip portion of FIG. 6 separated to provide a single tie strip;

FIG. 8 is a similar view showing the separated tie strip of FIG. 7 torn centrally to provide two tie-strips;

FIG. 9 is a similar view showing the inseparable top piece turned down;

FIG. 10 is a similar view showing the tie-strips of FIGS. 8 and 9 tied;

FIG. 11 is a similar view showing a further modification;

FIG. 12 is an elevation showing a piece of flattened tubular sheet material adapted to be separated transversely to provide a plurality of bags such as shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the bag of FIGS. 6 and 7 with the tie strip of FIG. 7 arranged for fastening the bag closed in another manner; and

FIG. 14 is a similar view showing the bag of FIG. 13 fastened in that manner.

"ice

In accordance with the invention, the tie strip portion or portions are part of the sheet material of the bag itself. It or they will have one end unitary and continuous with and merging into the sheet material at the open end of the bag and may have as one longitudinal edge apart of the open edge of the bag and. have the other longitudinal edge defined by a'score line or other separation line of less extent than the tubular extent of the bag. The other end may also be defined by a score line, or may be defined by a slit'or notch ,or other cut-out portion, or, in instances where a'singleitie-strip portion is to be formed into two tie strips, as bytearing, after separation of the portion from the bag, orwhere a bow-shaped or more nearly circular tie stripisto beused as a fastener in such form or in a specially-tied form, may merge into the sheet materialof which it is a part so as to be permanently secured thereto at both ends. g g V 'In the particular exemplification illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 there is shown a plastic bag5 of the type commonly used as sandwich or picnic bags and formed of plastic, such, for example, as-transparent polyethylene. The bag is composed, in any event, of sheet material, and in the present instance of a flattened tubular single sheet which is closed ,at or near its bottom edge by a seal line 6 which may be'a heat seal. The bag thus comprises a front side 8 and a rear side 9, a top edge iltl which is continuous about theopen top, and 'edges'll and 12 extending between the top edge 10 and the seal line 6. At the top of the side 8 is an inseparable portion 15 and a tie-strip por tion 16 defined by a scoreline '17 parallel with a part of the edge 10 and a score line 18 extending between the edge land the score line 17. Here and'elsewhere in the showings, the score lines are indicated by a series of short spaced cuts. At the top of the side 9 there is an along the score line's18 17 and 23'22, respectively, and

the resultingtie strips shown at. 16 and 21in FIG. 3 are tied. They may be tied as shown in FIG. 4 or otherwise to provide a loosev seal, or the portions 15 and 20 may be'first turned down on the outside of the edges 11 and 12, respectively, anda tighter seal provided as will be more fully understood by reference to FIG. 10.

In FIG. 5 there is shown a bag 24 which is the sameas that of FIG. 1 (and indicated by similar, reference numerals) except that the score lines 18 and- 23 are replaced by slits 18a and 23a.

In FIGS. 6-10 there is shown a generally similar bag 25 having a single inseparable portion 26 and a single tie-strip portion 27 which merges with and is united to the portion 26 at bothends and is centrally divisible into two tie strips or utilized (by being looped thru itself, for example) to tie up the bag without being divided. The tie-strip portion 27 is defined by a score line 28 which is parallel to the edge 10, and is thereby separable to provide a tie strip as shown in FIG. 7. Thereupon it may, if desired, be torn in two as shown in FIG. 8, or otherwise divided near the middle, to provide two tie strips 30 and 31. Whether or not the tie strip 27 is divided, the inseparable portion 26 may be turned down as shown in FIG. 5, and the top of the bag being bunched and tied, or the tie strip or strips otherwise utilized to fasten a filled bag into a'package. The particular tie exemplified in FIG. 10 is efiectuated by tie strips 30 and 31.

In FIG. 11 there is provided a generally similar bag 35 having an inseparable portion and two tie strips merg- A ing unitarily therewith at their lefthand endssand extending to the right. One of these, shown at 36, is a part of the side 8 and is defined by part'of the edge It}, by a separation line in the form of a score line 37 parallel to the edge 10, and by a separation line 38 extending between the edge 10' and the score line 37 and defining one side of a cut-out'39 which is notched out of the top of the bag. 'The other of these, shown at 41, is-a part of the side 9 and is defined by part of the edge 10, by a separation line in the form of a score line 42, and by a separation line 43 extending between the edge, 10 and the score line 42 and defining the opposite side of the cut-out 39.

Plastic bags ofthenature under discussion are often sold in theform of continuous, flattened tubular strips from which individ-ual bags are separable by the userone at a time. The invention is'well adapted for use in such an arrangement, particularly so' when the separation lines for the individual bags} are made more'read'ily separable than the parallel score'l'ines of the tie-strip portions. In- FIG. 12 there is shown a strip 50 of bags35 defined by 'seal lines 6 and heavye'asily' rupturablescore lines 51 which go thru both sides of the tube; The tie-strip portions of the bags are defined by'lighter-less easily rupsnsaeze 4. A bag as in claim, 1 ,wherein the last mentioned separation line defines the edge of a'cut-out.

5. A bag formed of sheetmaterial and-*comprising a front side and arrear side having generallyhorizontal top and bottom edges and united at'their bottom portions and at two edge portions? extending generally upwardly therefrom, a .top portion thereof comprising at least one generally horizontalftie-strip; portion unitary at at least one end with and merging into saidi sheet material and I and toward said separation line.

turabl'e-score lines 52- which go thru both sides of the bagsto provide the separation lines 37 and 42, and they flattenedtubular'strip 5 0 is cut away at points extending between the lines 51 and-52 at its right hand edge to providecut-outs 39l Various of the tie strips shown may, ofvcourse, be

utilized in' other ways than thoseillustrated' For ex ample,the tie-strips 27 of FIG. 7 may be utilized to fasten.

the filled bag by first twisting the center portionof the tie-strip so as to cross, in the manner shown in FIG. 13, the secured end portions'thereof, and then slipping the tie strip under the bag to hold the bag closed in the manner shownin FIG. 14. I1 r 6.:WA bag formed of sheet material andacomprisingja front side and a rear side having generally horizontal top and-.bottom edges and united at their bottom portions and at two edge portions extending generally upwardly therefrom, a top portion thereof comprising at least one generally horizontal tie-strip portion unitary at at least one-end with andrnerging into'said sheet material. and

extending downwardly from a topedge'to a generally horizontal line defining its bottom edge, said sheet material being formed 'with a rupturable' separation line at said horizontal line; and said sheet material comprising a single-tie-strip portion having two secured ends and a separationline intermediate said ends so that upon the Since certain changes may be made in the above article and fdifferent embodiments of the invention could be mad'e without departing from the scope'thereof, it is intended that allfmatter' contained in the above description.

or shown in-the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense. Iclaimz '1. A'bag formedof sheet material'and comprising a 3 front side and a rear side having generally horizontaltop and bottom edges and united at their bottomportions and at two edge portions extending generally upwardly therefrom, a top' portion thereof comprisingiat least one gen.

erally horizontal'tie-strip' portion unitary at at least one end with andmerging into said sheet material'and extending downwardly from a top edge to a generally horizontal line defining its bottom edge, said sheet material being formed with a rupturable separation'line at said horizontal line' and said tie-strip portion being further defined at its other end by a separation-line extending away from said top edge and toward the firsfimentioned separation line. i

v2. A bag asninclaim 1 wherein the last mentioned separation lineis a rupturable line.

3. A bag as in claim --1 whereinthe last mentioned separation line is a slit. 7 i

separation of said tie-strip portion at the: firstmentioned line'said tie strip portionwill form: two tie-strips.

' 7. Tubular sheet material comprising a series of transverse tear lines interspersed with a series of transverse seal lines defining [the'rebetween separate vbags having open tops formed'by" the tearing of: the: tear lines, the sheet material of each bag comprisinga'atleast one. tiestrip portion unitary at one end with and merging into said sheet material'so as to be secured thereat and of less extent than theedgeof the bagat'the top and defined in part by aapor'tion of said edgeyand in part by a rupturable 'sepa ratio'n line-in proximity to said edge and generally parallel to said edge. 7

References Cited by the Examiner A UNITED; STATES; PATENTS i V 2,529,578 11/50 Thompson. 2,554,050 5/51 Neubeck 229-452 2,849,171 8/;58 OBrien; 229 -54 7 2,998,340" 8/61 Conway et al.. 5 a 3,107,842 10/63 vGuilfoyle 229'62 1,154,361 '10/57 'France,

FRANKLIN T; GARRETT,' 'Primary Examiner. GEORGE, o. RALSTONExaminer 

1. A BAG FORMED OF THE SHEET MATERIAL AND COMPRISING A FRONT SIDE AND A REAR SIDE HAVING GENERALLY HORIZONTAL TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES AND UNITED AT THEIR BOTTOM PORTIONS AND AT TWO EDGE PORTIONS EXTENDING GENERALLY UPWARDLY THEREFROM, A TOP PORTION THEREOF COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE GENERALLY HORIZONTAL TIE-STRIP PORTION UNITARY AT LEAST ONE END WITH AND MERGING INTO SAID SHEET MATERIAL AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM A TOP EDGE TO A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL LINE DEFINING ITS BOTTOM EDGE, SAID SHEET MATERIAL BEING FORMED WITH RUPTURABLE SEPARATION LINE AT SAID HORIZONTAL LINE, AND SAID TIE-STRIP PORTION BEING FURTHER DEFINED AT ITS OTHER END BY A SEPARATION-LINE EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID TOP EDGE AND TOWARD THE FIRST MENTIONED SEPARATION LINE. 